We have finally got round to enjoying Gower Edge ourselves this week with a pre-Easter visit and the decision had already been taken that our first target would be a walk down to Mumbles on arrival to check out The Pilot, which has recently won new accolades as the best pub in Wales. Having dropped off our kit in Dunvant, we took to the bike path from Dunvant Square to Blackpill and were soon reminiscing about happy days walking our children around Clyne Valley Country Park in a back pack (they are now 20 and 18)!
The birds provided a tuneful backdrop and we were soon out of earshot of traffic and feeling the stresses of the week recede into the background. Rush was full of enthusiasm for the new scents and made several new Welsh doggie friends along the way. We noticed a few welcome additions to the route. There is now a bike hire facility at Dunvant Rugby Club (Bike Ability Wales) and a short time later we came upon a BMX cycling track just behind the Railway Inn in Killay. Our kids would have loved having this on their doorstep and I guess you can hire a bike and then go down and give it a try.
Having made it to the front at Blackpill, and now walking into a brisk headwind, we set our sights on the Pier and lighthouse and traced out the sweep of the bay along the promenade. We could see the Mumbles restaurant scene has a few new additions and all the favourites remain. We debated whether to eat out but decided to stick with the “drink and home” plan as we had the dog with us. The Pilot was looking great in it’s new coat of blue paint and is pet friendly, but was filling up quickly. As Rush prefers a quieter atmosphere we had a coffee and slice of cake at Verdi’s across the road (where dogs are allowed outside under cover), making a mental note to return for a craft pint another day.
The Pilot, Mumbles – dog friendly.
Dusk was falling and the recently refurbished Oystermouth Castle was lit up and looking good against the skyline as we came back into Mumbles. Joggers and cyclists shared the promenade with us back to Blackpill where we turned left onto the cycle track again. We noticed what we had assumed were reflective tabs in the cycle path on the way down were now giving out a faint glow in the dark which kept us happily on track through the woods. Great idea!
Fish and chips from The China Kitchen in Dunvant was tasty as always (great curry sauce!) all washed down with a nice red wine. Arrival complete and ideas bandied around for the rest of the stay we retired, satisfied, to bed.
About the Author
We own Gower Edge, a pet friendly self catering home from home on the edge of the Gower Peninsula in Dunvant. If you would like to stay in the area, check us out, we’d love to hear from you.
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